Online via Zoom, 11:00 am to 12:30 pm
Presenter: David Hopkins

Educational attainment is swiftly becoming the most consequential dividing line in American politics, as voters without college degrees shift dramatically toward the Republican Party while college-educated citizens move correspondingly toward the Democrats. The growth of this so-called diploma divide has redefined the popular coalitions and communication style of both major parties. It also holds important implications for each side’s approach to governing and relationship with major social institutions such as the educational system, the mainstream media, and the scientific community.

Online via Zoom, 11:00 am to 12:30 pm
Presenter: Patrick Conway

This presentation highlights the Boston College Prison Education Program. Since 2019, Boston College has offered a degree-granting program for incarcerated students at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution in Shirley, MA (MCI-Shirley). Students in the program pursue an Applied Liberal Arts BA degree through the Woods College of Advancing Studies, studying the humanities, as well as the natural and social sciences. The program has expanded dramatically since its inception, enrolling 80 students across five cohorts while also becoming a national leader in higher education in prison. Highlights will include reflections on the inaugural graduation at MCI-Shirley in September 2024, the launch of a "College Success" reentry class at the Chestnut Hill campus, and the achievements of BCPEP students both inside prison and on campus.

Online via Zoom, 11:00 am to 12:30 pm
Presenter: Erick Berrelleza, SJ

In July 2024, Messina College officially opened as the newest two-year residential college of Boston College, welcoming 100 first-generation and financially under-resourced students into the BC community. As the ninth school within Boston College, Messina is uniquely positioned as the first to confer associate’s degrees, equipping students to either transition into bachelor’s degrees programs (including at Boston College) or to embark on professional careers. Rooted in the tradition of excellence that defines one of the nation’s leading universities, Messina College is grounded in a comprehensive student success model that provides robust resources and support to foster academic achievement and a sense of belonging. As its inaugural academic year concludes, Founding Dean Erick Berrelleza, SJ reflects on the key lessons learned, the initiatives driving the greatest impact, and the vision for Messina’s future.

Online via Zoom, 11:00 am to 12:30 pm
Presenter: Michael Serazio

In recent decades, authenticity has become an American obsession – from reality TV to corporate brands to social media influencers to political campaigns. But, ironically, authenticity's not actually real: It's as fabricated as it is ubiquitous. In this talk, we’ll take you behind the scenes with those who make “reality” – and reveal all the ways they try to influence us. Drawing upon dozens of rare interviews with campaign consultants, advertising executives, tech company leadership, and entertainment industry gatekeepers, we’ll investigate the professionals and practices that make people, products, and platforms seem "authentic" in today's media, culture, and politics. We’ll spotlight the power of authenticity in today's media-saturated world and show the strategies to satisfy this widespread yearning.

Online via Zoom, 11:00 am to 12:30 pm
Presenter: Mary Murphy

The Irish Institute of Boston College was established in 1998 to support the developing peace process in Northern Ireland. Through a series of partnerships, programs, and events, the Institute promoted meaningful ties between the United States and Ireland which were supportive of efforts to realize a long-term and sustainable peace in Northern Ireland. This lecture will trace the history of the Irish Institute of Boston College. It will also consider the contemporary context for the Institute’s work and discuss how, against the backdrop of a changing Irish and international political, economic, and security landscape, the Institute aims to assist the ongoing consolidation of peace, prosperity, and reconciliation, across Ireland, north and south.

Online via Zoom, 11:00 am to 12:30 pm
Presenter: Richard Kearney

A paradigm shift is needed if we are to see the earth as a host that nurtures rather than a commodity to be consumed. For real change to occur, we must heed the cry of the earth and embrace a radical ecological hospitality toward all living beings. For we are, deep down, guests of the earth as well as hosts, receivers as well as perceivers. Such a shift would require us to move from the Anthropocene of relentless human domination—which has brought us to the brink of climate catastrophe—to a Symbiocene of deep interdependency between humans and nature.